


Bridgework

by Mystic_Harley



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hopeful Ending, One Shot, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:29:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22442611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Harley/pseuds/Mystic_Harley
Summary: A young girl sits alone on a bridge, staring at the water that's tempting her to come down to join it. Before she can act, a strange little man sits with her to have a talk.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	Bridgework

The bridge was quiet and empty despite how early in the evening it was. Which suited Roxy Deumaunt just fine, she didn’t want anyone to know what she was really planning on doing. She leaned over the railing, looking down at how much of a drop it was and feeling her stomach tighten uncomfortably at how much of a drop it was.   
  
She wondered if she could consider what she was about to do cliche. A bridge? Surely that had been done a million times. Maybe she should try doing something more creative, come up with some elaborate thing that would really wow whoever found her.   
  
Climbing over the railing, it became clear her sad attempt at stalling herself had failed miserably. She leaned on the railing, clinging on tightly because of the irony that if she slipped she’d want to pull herself back up. She wondered if she should figure out a way to make herself slip and she could experience the raw fear without meeting the final end.   
  
“Do you mind if I sit with you?”    
  
Roxy nearly fell with how badly she was startled. Whipping around as fast as she dared, she gaped in astonishment at the little man who was standing a couple of feet away from her. He was wearing a slightly crumpled cream colored suit, leaning on an umbrella and doffing his similarly colored hat. He offered her a polite smile and before she could say anything else he vaulted over the railing and landed neatly on his feet at the edge.    
  
She sucked in a breath, her heart freezing for one instance out of fear that he would lose his balance. Instead, he just smiled knowingly at her and sat down. “It’s dangerous.” She objected breathlessly. “You could fall.”   
  
He gave her a look, a look that told her he knew exactly how dangerous it was. “Yes, it is.” He said simply.    
  
A silence fell over them. They both sat there, on the edge of the bridge, feet dangling over the water that was sparkling in the glowing evening sun. She could see the stranger’s feet swaying back and forth, and he leaned on his umbrella. She felt her heartbeat rising, and her hands slowly curled into fists as they were moved to her lap. The stranger hadn’t said a word to her, just sitting there. Staring out at things she likely couldn’t see.   
  
“Why are you here?” She finally asked, unable to handle the silence anymore. The stranger turned to look at her, as if surprised by her question. He had a wide, innocent look in his eyes and he pointed to himself as if to ask if she was referring to him before shrugging.   
  
“A lot of reasons.” He noted, and it now just occurred to Roxy that he had a Scottish burr in his voice as he spoke. “The beautiful sunset, a lonely looking girl sitting on the edge of a bridge that looked like she could use some company. My feet were hurting from a long walk.” He looked at her now, cocking his head slightly. “Why are you here?”   
  
Roxy opened her mouth to answer but found the words died out before they could reach her lips. Opening and closing her mouth several times, she gave up on trying to explain and looked back down at the water. The beautiful, beautiful water. So many feet below her, enticing her to join it. Willing her to push herself and feel the wind in her hair and just  _ let go. _   
  
“I don’t know.” Came the quiet response. The words had surprised her, because she knew exactly why she was there but she looked up at the stranger, to repeat those words and instead fell short because he was looking at her.   
  
It wasn’t a judgmental look, at least, Roxy thought it wasn’t. He was simply… looking at her. Taking all of her in with one look before he nodded and looked back out across the river. “I guess I don’t know why I’m here either. Like I said, a lot of reasons.”   
  
Roxy had a hard time believing it was just a coincidence that the little man had just been walking along and saw her sitting there and thought she could use the company. She swallowed hard, wondering how much she should reveal to this stranger. For some reason, she felt like she could trust him. Maybe it was his eyes, blue or grey, it was difficult to tell in the light but when she looked into his eyes, she saw understanding.   
  
“My girlfriend.” She finally said, kicking her legs numbly in the air. “I’m here because of my girlfriend.”   
  
The stranger turned to look at her, surprised. “Why would your girlfriend make you wait here on the edge of a bridge for her?”    
  
Roxy laughed. A cold, bitter laugh that had no warmth in it, but felt good to get out anyways. “I wish it was like that.” She said, shaking her head slightly. “It’s because she… she  _ isn’t _ here.” She swallowed, feeling her throat close up. “It’s been a few months since I’ve last seen her. I know that she’s been busy but lately things have just been, been  _ so hard  _ for me that… I need her.”   
  
Tears pricked her eyes, and she sniffed, wiping them away with the back of her hand. She kept talking, finding herself unable to stop once she got going. “It’s stupid, isn’t it? It feels like an eternity and I already know  _ why _ she can’t come but it hurts all the same. Here I am, right?” She indicated where they were, sitting on the old stonework.   
  
The stranger hummed thoughtfully, handing her his handkerchief in silence and letting her dab her eyes dry with it. “Yes, here you are. Right here.” He tapped the bridge slightly with his finger. “And not down there.” He indicated the water. She swallowed nervously.   
  
That was true, at least. She hadn’t actually took the jump yet. “I’m too scared.” She admitted, feeling ashamed for such an admission.   
  
“Good.” The man replied. “Let that fear be your anchor, and don’t let it go.” He cocked his head again, slightly. As if he were examining her for the first time, and it seemed like he was going to say something but thought better of it, instead settling back down, his umbrella draped over his lap.   
  
“I shouldn’t be doing this.” Roxy murmured quietly. “I’m being so stupid right now…”   
  
“Are you?” The man asked lightly. He didn’t look her way as he spoke now, still staring off into space. “Because I don’t think you are.”   
  
“Please,” She laughed again, it ripped out of her throat involuntarily. “I’m here sitting on the edge of a bridge because I can’t handle a little pain.” She seemed so weak when she put it like that.   
  
“You’re not weak.” The man said gently. “Sometimes, it’s the smallest pains that hurt the most because they slip through the cracks in our armor. We don’t notice them until it builds up and well,” He chuckled a little to himself. “Until it bridges, pardon the expression, bridges the gap we thought we would never cross.”   
  
He shifted, looking at her again, crossing one leg over the other. “But you haven’t crossed that gap yet, haven’t you? You’re still here, talking to me.” He waved his hand outwards a little. “Do you think a weak person would do that?”   
  
She bit down on her lip, averting her eyes from the stranger and instead focusing on where he had waved his hand. Watching the sparkling water dance in the reflected sunlight as the sun slowly turned into a beautiful orange color and began descending across the horizon. She swallowed again, feeling her throat close up slightly. “Why are you here?” She asked again.    
  
“Because I understand what you’re going through.” He said. She looked at him sharply, ready to tell him that he had  _ no idea _ what she was experiencing until she saw his eyes again. Saw the  _ pain _ hiding behind it all. “And I know it’s hard,” He continued softly. “And it will hurt, hurt more than anything else that you’ve ever been through in your life so far. The pain will be a raging inferno inside of you, but you must keep going. Keep walking over the smoldering coals until you reach the other side. I promise you, it will be worth it.”   
  
Roxy had gone quiet after that. She hugged herself tightly, tears falling down her cheeks and she knew the stranger was right. It hurt, it hurt so much to know the one person she needed- no,  _ wanted  _ above all else wasn’t there with her. She wanted to be with that beautiful woman she loved again, to cherish those moments wherever they came up because she knew that the stranger was right in the end.    
  
She dabbed her eyes with his handkerchief again, and nodded. “You’re right.” Handing it back to him, she scooted herself away from the ledge. “You’re right, god I’m an idiot.”    
  
“You’re not an idiot.” He said, and it surprised to see that he was already over the railing, holding his hand out for her to grab ahold of. She took it, and he neatly helped her back onto more firmer ground. “You just need a friend. Why don’t you come with me? I’m supposed to be meeting someone I know for drinks at a little cafe not far from here. I think we have room for one more.” He gave her an impish little smile.   
  
“Alright, that sounds good.” She agreed, and let him wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders and walk her away from the bridge, back into town. “What’s your name? I just realized you never said.”   
  
“You never said yours.” The man replied back lightly. “Just call me, Doctor. You?”   
  
“Roxy. Roxy Deumaunt.”    
  
The Doctor smiled, Roxy smiled back. They both knew that this was only a brief reprieve from it all, a nice break before she had to go back home and endure another night by herself in her bed.    
  
She would hold onto that hope though, and never let go. 


End file.
